Don't Quit on Me

In this episode, I'm joined by author, and mindfulness and compassion teacher Margaret Cullen for a thoughtful conversation on equanimity - the steady, grounded quality that helps us meet life's uncertainty without being swept away by it. Together, we explore her new book Quiet Strength, and what equanimity really means, how it differs from detachment, and why it matters in a world that often pull...

Empowering Wellness: Exercise as Medicine for Mind and Body Welcome to another episode from our series exploring the profound impact of taking deliberate actions on various aspects of health, where today, we're delving into the interplay between physical exercise and mental health - particularly in individuals living with chronic illnesses. In a deeply engaging conversation with Dr. Sue Broadbent,...

"The brain is always capable of change ... behaviour is the price of admission." How much can the brain really change - and what does it take to make that change last? In this episode, Dr Lara Boyd shares her winding journey from sport and physical therapy into neuroscience, sparked by a deep fascination with how the brain adapts through learning and recovers after damage. Along the way, she unpac...

Embracing Compassion: A Journey through Mindfulness and Resilience Welcome. This conversation is one I've been sitting with for a while. It was originally published in November on World Compassion Day in 2025. I had the chance to be interviewed by Jesse Spurr and Liz Crowe, from the 5 Things Podcast at Metro North, and together we explored compassion - not as a theory or a nice idea, but as someth...

Welcome to this special holiday episode as we approach the end of 2025. As the year draws to a close, many of us find ourselves reflecting on what we've been working through - both personally and professionally. Today, we explore a profound question that I have been working with this year: What is the difference between pain and suffering in meditation? Pain is the raw, unavoidable sensation - phy...

The Art of Being: Embracing Mindfulness and Compassion During Challenging Times with Cortland Dahl In this enlightening episode, we delve into the transformative journey and work of Dr Cortland Dahl , a meditation expert , scientist, translator and researcher at the Center for Healthy Minds . Cort's true passion is using ancient wisdom and modern science to help people flourish. Cort shares his pe...

Never Quit: Lessons in Leadership and Life - A conversation with Greg Robertson In this episode, Greg Robertson  shares his extensive military background, from joining the Army at 17 and serving for 25 years, including 15 years as a sniper in special forces and regular army.  Greg was inspired by the US Army Sniper Association, and after a few key experiences, established the Army Sniper Associati...

Crisis and Compassion: Meredith Parfet on Transforming Loss into Meaning In this episode, we delve deep into the multifaceted world of grief, crisis management, and emotional resilience with Meredith Parfet, a CEO, hospice chaplain and death doula.   Meredith shares her poignant and personal journey with grief, having lost her sister during the early stages of the opioid epidemic, followed by a se...

The Generous Exchange: Maria Sirois on Burnout, Resilience, Beauty and Excellence   In this heartfelt conversation, Nick interviews Maria Sirois, Psychologist, Leadership Consultant and Author about her journey and her book 'The Generous Exchange.'   Maria shares her experiences working with families facing life-threatening diseases, encountering resilience in its most profound form. We discuss th...

The New Happy A Journey into Compassion and Resilience - Stephanie Harrison   In this insightful episode, we start with a tribute to the life and work of friend of the show Ralph De La Rosa, who graced our show on three different occasions, offering profound insights, support and wisdom. We are so grateful for their contributions and the light they brought.   In our interview, we discus the import...

The Future of Behavioral Science with Steven Hayes: Beyond Bell Curves   In this captivating episode, Dr Steven Hayes returns to discuss the significant developments in the landscape of behavioral science and the ACT model over the past four years. Steven explores the limitations of traditional scientific methods in characterizing individual human behavior and introduces innovative approaches that...

The Healing Power of Expressive Writing: An Interview with Dr. Jamie Pennebaker In this enlightening episode, we delve into the transformative world of expressive writing with Dr. Jamie Pennebaker, a leading researcher in the field. Dr. Pennebaker recounts the fascinating journey from his initial studies on the impact of journaling on overcoming trauma to the development of the computer program, L...

In this insightful conversation, Chris Germer talks about his journey in discovering and co-creating mindful self-compassion with Kristen Neff.   Chris shares his personal struggles with anxiety, shame and public speaking, and how practicing loving-kindness meditation transformed his experiences of fear and shame.   He discusses the complementary roles of self-compassion and mindfulness in managin...

Dr. Liz Stanley is a renowned expert in resilience, stress, and trauma recovery. As a professor at Georgetown University, she has dedicated her career to understanding the social structures that drive human behaviour, especially during times of stress and conflict. Dr. Stanley is the creator of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT®), a groundbreaking program that has been empirically vali...

Transforming Lives with Self-Compassion and Mindfulness: An Interview with Dr. Shauna Shapiro.   In this heartfelt and insightful interview, Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a renowned psychologist and professor, shares her journey into the field of mindfulness and self-compassion, shaped significantly by a life-changing spinal surgery at age 17, Shauna discusses how she overcame pain and anxiety through mindf...

Finding Meaning Amidst Chaos: A Journey Through Trauma,  Compassion and Healing In this moving episode,  I have a chat with freind of the show Ralph, who is a trauma therapist, meditation teacher and author.   Ralph shares candid details about his recent harrowing experience of facing sudden liver failure. Despite dealing with immense physical and emotional pain, he offers valuable insights on tra...

Nikki Szabo is a dedicated and compassionate professional with over 25 years' experience in community welfare and the education sectors.   Nikki holds a graduate diploma in social science and a degree in Community Welfare from Southern Cross University, and has worked in various roles including program and project management, advocacy, wellbeing support and case management. At the Iris Foundation,...

Dr. Jane Compson is an Associate Professor in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington, Tacoma. With a rich background in religious studies and ethics, she passionately applies insights from Buddhist traditions to contemporary contexts, including higher education, environmental education, and healthcare. Dr. Compson is a trained facilitator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Re...

The Transformative Journey of Venerable Robina Courtin: Insights from "Don't Quit On Me" Podcast The latest episode of "Don't Quit On Me," is an  an extraordinary conversation with Venerable Robina Courtin, a Buddhist nun whose life epitomizes the boundless potential of the human heart. Her journey from a rebellious youth in Melbourne, Australia, to becoming a beacon of wisdom and compassion in th...

Rest and Recovery - the Keys for Long Term Success   Nick Propper is a sought after expert, keynote speaker and facilitator on the topic of building sustainable human performance. Nick works extensively within the senior leadership groups of some of the world's leading organizations, including Yale School of Medicine, Goldman Sachs, Procter & Gamble, Morgan Stanley, DaVita, G100, United States Ski...

Mark McConville is a seasoned comedian and a respected lecturer in Suicidology. With over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry, he has become one of Australia's most reliable and professional comedians. Mark's academic journey in mental health is equally impressive; he graduated from Griffith University with a Master's Degree in Suicidology and received the Griffith Award for Ac...

 Maggie O'Shea is a relationship therapist and mental health social worker in private practice with over 30 years of experience in the field.  Maggie lives  in Castlemaine in Australia and teaches Masters of Counselling students in Melbourne at Swinburne University and Relationships Australia. Maggie's practice  MindfulPresence   specializes in group-work and retreats for individuals and couples....

Amber Lea Starfire is a writer and writing coach who has published two memoirs and several journaling how-to books. She has also developed a series of online classes and workshops that have helped many people journal and deepen their writing practice.  Amber says "Bringing truth and creativity into the world — and empowering others to do the same — is the work of my life. I truly believe that ther...

Rick Hanson, Ph. D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and include Making Great Relationship, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha's Brain, and Mother Nurture - with over a million copies in English alone. He's the founder of the G...

" … it's really fascinating actually like the human, at the biological level at the psychological level, we are built to tolerate pain, and we're built to grow stronger from enduring difficulty, we're actually made for it. That's like how it works. Joy matters too - don't get me wrong, you know, but the difficult stuff is always there. So, we might as well get good at utilizing that end of the spe...